Sleep On It

Album: Chaka (1978)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this song from Chaka Khan's debut solo album, she offers some advice a marriage counselor might deliver: sleep on it. Seems she and her man have had a fight, but if they wait until morning, everything will be alright.
  • The song was written by the team of Larry John McNally and Andrew Kastner; they wrote another song on the album as well: "A Woman In A Man's World." Kastner later moved into video production and graphic design; McNally released his debut solo album in 1981 and kept writing songs for others, including "Long Drag Off A Cigarette" for Joe Cocker and "The Motown Song," made famous by Rod Stewart.

    "Chaka was and is a stunning talent," McNally said in a Songfacts interview. "We all went to Mikell's, the then-famous New York nightclub, after the sessions and they jammed. I was in way over my head. Chaka could sing the phone book and move you with the power of her singing. Whatever my talents were, they needed a lot of developing."
  • The album was produced by Arif Mardin, who recorded it in New York using top session musicians from the area, including Steve Ferrone from the Average White Band, who played drums. Mardin, who also worked with Aretha Franklin, produced most of Chaka's early work. The big hit from the album was the first single, "I'm Every Woman." Chaka was still a member of the band Rufus ("Sweet Thing") at the time, but was much more invested in her solo work.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Ed Roland of Collective Soul

Ed Roland of Collective SoulSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.